Poll: Should tackling by banned in school rugby?

A group of medical experts have petitioned the government to ban tackling from school rugby.

The doctors, health professionals and academics have signed a letter to ministers, urging them to remove all harmful forms of contact from the sport at secondary school level.

In a letter, published today, they say injuries can have “short-term, life-long, and life-ending consequences for children.”

“A link has been found between repeat concussions and cognitive impairment and an association with depression, memory loss and diminished verbal abilities, as well as longer term problems,” it continued.

But the likes of former England international Brian Moore say that a ban on tackling and scrums at under 18 level would stop youngsters from playing the full contact adult version of the sport.